Battle of Kawanakajima

The Battle of Kawanakajima was a major battle of the Warring States Period, taking place in 1561, between Kenshin Uesugi and Shingen Takeda. The battle was known for its greatness but indecisiveness, as neither side one, and both sides suffered heavy casualties.

Battle
Shingen Takeda had an army of 20,000 troops, facing Kenshin Uesugi's 18,000. The battle began when Sakon Shima's Takeda Mobile Unit attacked the Uesugi camp at Mt. Saijo, while Shingen would swallow the enemy whole. However, Kenshin got wind of the plan and redeployed on the Hachimanbara Plains, defeating the woodpecker strategy. This split the Takeda in two, so Kansuke Yamamoto decided to protect Shingen Takeda until the mobile unit arrived. Kansuke Yamamoto defeated Yataro Onikojima and Katsunaga Irobe before he was killed by the Uesugi forces. Meanwhile, Nobukado Takeda defended the Takeda main camp. Kenshin Uesugi commanded his army in person, leading them into battle, and hoping to take Shingen's head, he charged the Takeda lines. Shingen was protected by his ever-loyal troops, who defeated Kenshin before he could lay a hand on him. However, Kenshin continued fighting, sending Kagemochi Amakasu to block of Sakon Shima's mobile units' access at Amenomiya Ford. The Takeda troops destroyed a fallen tree to create a new path for them, and were reinforced by Sakon's unit. With reinforcements arriving, the Takeda morale went up, and they fought harder. Lady Aya's Uesugi reinforcements were beaten off by the Takeda, so Kenshin decided to withdraw whatever forces he had left after the onslaught. He attempted to retreat to the Zennkoji Temple, where Fujisuke Nakajo and Nagachika Kawada were awaiting him. However, the Takeda troops pursued Kenshin, wrecking his army and decisively defeating the Uesugi. However, the Takeda had lost too many men to pursue, and gave up the chance they had to cut off his retreat.